In 2008, Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99) were identified as the underlying cause of 6,406 registered deaths, representing 4.5% of all registered deaths during 2008.

There were nearly twice as many female deaths (4,035 or 63%) due to Mental and behavioural disorders than male deaths (2,371 or 37%) registered in 2008. The median age at death was higher for females at 88.6 years, compared with 84.2 years for males.

Dementia (F01-F03) accounted for 89% of Mental and behavioural disorders in 2008, compared with 68% in 1999 (see Explanatory Note 65). The sex ratio of 51 males per 100 female deaths has remained relatively steady since 1999, with 1,916 males and 3,772 females dying of this disease in 2008. The median age at death for persons (87.8 years) dying of Dementia was higher than the median age for Mental and behavioural disorders (87.1 years) as a whole.

Mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of alcohol (F10) was the underlying cause of 297 (4.6%) deaths from Mental and behavioural disorders in 2008. More than three times more males than females died from this cause, with 231 male deaths compared with 66 female deaths. The median age at death of persons with Mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of alcohol as the underlying cause of death was 60.9 years. This was twenty years lower than the median age of all causes of death (80.9 years). The median age at death of females was 60.0 years, compared with 61.1 years for males. The trends for males and females differ also, with female deaths remaining steady since 1999 and male deaths fluctuating over time, ranging between 188 in 1999 and 231 in 2008.

Delirium, not induced by alcohol and other psychoactive substances (F05)

50

27

77

0.1

Personality and behavioural disorders due to brain disease, damage and dysfunction (F07)

13

16

29

-

Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F10-F19)

321

121

442

0.3

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol (F10)

231

66

297

0.2

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco (F17)

62

41

103

0.1

Mental and behavioural disorders due to multiple drug use and use of other psychoactive substances (F19)

20

9

29

-

Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders (F20-F29)

27

32

59

-

Schizophrenia (F20)

27

29

56

-

Mood (affective) disorders (F30-F39)

23

42

65

-

Depressive episode (F32)

20

32

52

-

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

(a) Causes selected are those with 20 or more deaths at the 3 digit level of ICD-10.

(b) 2008 data have been subject to process improvements which have increased the quality of these data. See Technical Note 1: 2008 COD Collection - Process Improvements for further information.

(c) Causes of death data for 2008 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Technical Note 2: Causes of Death - Revisions Process.

(d) Data cells with small values have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation.

(e) See Explanatory Note 65 for further information on data relating to Dementia.